archdeacons’ visitation news

Spring 2017 - issue 13 Dear churchwardens As you now know, I retire as Archdeacon of Tonbridge this summer and will move to North Yorkshire. If any of you can come to the Farewell Service for Jane and myself at Rochester Cathedral on Saturday 1 July at 3.15pm, we will be delighted to see you. Safeguarding I am enormously grateful to the churchwardens whom I have known and worked with during It is everyone’s responsibility to safeguard my years here as Archdeacon since November children, young people and vulnerable 2002. Thank you to you, your clergy and your adults. The local church should be a place colleagues, both ordained and lay, in your of welcome and hospitality, and provide a parishes for all that you do in Christ’s service. wide variety of people with a sense that ‘they can belong’. However, sometimes I hope that in retirement I will be able to offer there will be individuals who will not behave Christian service, including ordained ministry appropriately, and it is up to everyone else under Permission to Officiate. My faith and joy to notice this and, where appropriate, do in Christ are undimmed. My delight at leading something about it. worship continues unabated and my desire to see the Christian faith and Gospel shared is as There are four R’s which might help keen as ever. the Leadership Team, PCC and others with responsibility in how they manage Something which clergy of all places discover is how who we are and what we say and do all safeguarding issues: have an impact on other people, often in ways Recognise these things happen. It might be that we do not recognise at the time. During bruises on a young child. one visit to North Yorkshire, late last year, I met a couple in the supermarket who said that Respond. Don’t attempt to investigate “people still talked about” the service when yourself; refer as soon as possible. I had baptised their daughter 26 years ago Record. Make full notes of what you are told. and where I brought one or two of the local sheep into the church (it was ‘Good Shepherd I hope that others may thank you, from time to Refer. You are not expected to be an Sunday’.) Another man whom I met on the time, for things you have done that have been expert – contact the Diocesan Safeguarding street spoke of how he still remembered how important to them, even if not seen by you as Adviser*. I blessed him at the communion rail in Ripon such at the time, and that you, in turn, are able *Janice Keen – Bishop’s Adviser for Cathedral when he came forward as a non- to offer your thanks to those who have given Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults communicant at a service. That would have you encouragement and inspiration in your [email protected] happened about 30 years ago. I had no idea own life and Christian service. of the impact of either of these events on the Telephone 01634 560000 or May God bless you and the parishes in which people concerned, nor that such an impact 07787445032 would be so long-lasting. On other occasions, you live and serve, now and in the future. people have told me how words I have spoken have played their part over subsequent years in leading them in a vocation to ordination. Produced and printed by Many a Christian person, lay or ordained, has done something which has shaped the life of another person for good and which is long, Ven Clive Mansell long remembered. Archdeacon of Tonbridge

www.ecclesiastical.com/church distinguish what is trivial in life from what is The wisdom thing important. God does not withhold wisdom from anyone Many people assume wisdom is an age-related thing, but its who asks in faith. Yet there is no doubt acquisition does not come automatically with age like grey hair and some need it more than others. Anyone who wrinkles because some people become confirmed in their unreflective has assumed public office with a measure of care for others – like churchwardens prejudices as they age. As the saying goes: middle age is when a – knows how challenging leadership can broad mind and a narrow waist swap adjectives. prove. Sometimes there are no precedents to cling to in making a decision; frequently Spiritual wisdom is a gift from God to those the information is incomplete or mediated who ask him in faith – as the letter of James by those who have a stake in the answer. informs us – and we have to take the Occasionally there is no time to reflect and initiative in seeking it. The fear of the Lord people must make their best guess. Thank is the beginning of wisdom, freeing us from God we can ask him for help. the unconscious anxieties that frequently Of all the gifts those in church leadership distort our decision-making. At a primary might exercise, wisdom may be paramount level, it is the ability to distinguish between and, coming from above, inhabits us in ways right and wrong. Yet described in this way the gift seems almost banal, like being asked to we can’t always articulate. But we know it choose between Luke Skywalker and Darth when we see it. As we make our farewells Vader. The reality is more complicated. to Archdeacon Clive, I know I am not at all alone in giving thanks not just for a faithful, History is littered with good people who loving, persevering ministry, but for the have been hoodwinked by the incremental wisdom he has always been so generous in advance of evil – a process that can be as sharing, even when his own time has been slow as the tide coming in and equally as constrained. There is much to give thanks for. powerful. Wisdom is in part the ability to unmask sin before it disarms you. C. S. Lewis Ven Simon Burton-Jones has also described wisdom as the ability to Archdeacon of Rochester

Re-missioning Chatham Thank you town centre In 2016, the Church Commissioners The work to develop a strategic framework for our Diocese has awarded the Diocese of Rochester a grant benefited enormously fromOur Conversation; Our Future. It was of £665,000 towards a £1.3m project to re- establish mission in Chatham town centre. encouraging to see so many people seeking God’s will and talking about our hopes for our shared future. The strategic project at Chatham includes re-establishing a worshipping community for St John’s Church, bringing the building back We were heartened to receive responses into use (potentially with an interim solution) from individuals, PCCs, young people, local and establishing mission activities in the communities, schools, chaplains and more. local community. The area around St John’s Many people used the opportunity to talk is one of the most deprived in the Diocese to partner organisations and local networks in terms of employment rates, income, about the place of the Church of England in education and quality of life. The Diocese and our communities. We know that some of these local people feel the re-opening St John’s conversations have already borne fruit, and are Church is key to local identity and a crucial excited to see where God leads us. element in the plans for the regeneration of Bishop James and those working with him the community. are now prayerfully reading through the The Diocese is working with local people responses, and discerning the core hopes to redefine our vision for Chatham; initial and vision for our strategic framework. mission outreach activities include a The conversations don’t end here; through conversation café and debt and other crisis the coming months Bishop James and advice services, learning from and linking to colleagues will be seeking to test their initial ongoing work at the All Saints Centre in a findings through our Diocesan meetings and suburb of the town. networks, and with partner organisations. The new strategic framework will be launched on Matthew Girt 4 November 2017, and information will be Diocesan Director of Strategy and shared across the Diocese at this time. Implementation Thank you for being involved up until now and Claire Boxall for your ongoing support and prayers. Strategic Framework Manager The Great Community Mural – win £10,000 for your church This year, we really want to celebrate the community work of the UK’s churches. In order to do this we want you to help us create ‘The Great Community Mural’.

It is time for your church to get creative! We are inviting all of our church insurance customers to submit a piece of original artwork that celebrates the role their church plays as part of the fabric of its local community. Entries can be created by The cloth and anyone with a connection to the church and we’re actively encouraging collaborations! the community The artists can be young or old (or a Quietly, in every corner of the country, combination of the two!) and we welcome fantastic things are happening. Much submissions via any medium: collage, of this activity goes unnoticed but its crayons, chalk, felt-tip or embroidery. We’re impact is felt by many, weaving its insisting only that the work is original and is way into the darkest of places and true to our theme of celebrating the church making the world a better place. as part of the fabric of the community. In 2016, Ecclesiastical launched a We will be combining the best entries with national competition to celebrate the the aim of creating the largest piece of crucial role our churches have in community art that has ever been produced The winning church will receive a prize of supporting local communities. We asked in the UK. ‘The Great Community Mural’ will £10,000; with four runners-up receiving churches to share their success stories be 10 metres in length and three metres high, £2,500 each. The Great Community Mural and tell us how they are reaching out to and will feature as many of the entries as we will be unveiled at a prestigious London their local community. can include, with the very best five printed at venue before touring to a select number of With a £20,000 prize fund up for grabs, a larger scale, and the overall winner given cathedrals around the UK. So, don’t delay, we were inundated with inspirational pride of place in the centre of the mural. get your church to be creative today! projects. The eventual winner, St. John’s church in Shildon, who won the top prize of £10,000, had knitted itself into the very fabric of its community. The range Artist Tim Steward Tim said: “As an artist, I’m thrilled to be the of activities not only stretched to every ambassador for The Great Community corner but instilled a sense of pride in Our ambassador for the Great Community Mural project. I am passionate about the the people of Shildon, bringing them Mural project is Tim Steward, a Christian role of art within closer together. artist who has been exhibited all around churches and this the UK and whose work is notable, In fact, all of the 372 entries revealed project is a wonderful among many outstanding features, for the true value and reach of the work its celebration of church architecture. way of celebrating churches are doing. We believe that this Tim will be joining the judging panel for the unique place that should be celebrated and brought to life the competition and he’ll produce an churches hold in our and as the UK’s leading church insurer original piece of artwork that will form country’s diverse we are uniquely placed to support and part of the completed Mural. communities.” highlight this. For 130 years, we’ve had the privilege of protecting our churches and their communities so throughout 2017 we’ll be doing even more to highlight and How to enter the competition support the fantastic things that they Entry forms are being sent out during May also find more details about The Great are quietly delivering. to all of our customers in their Church Community Mural competition, including a Keep up to date via our website Matters newsletter. If you don’t get the video of Tim Steward talking through some at www.ecclesiastical.com/ newsletter or want further information about ideas that might inspire you. The closing community or our Facebook page how to enter, go to our website. There you’ll date for entries is 21st August 2017. Church Matters with Ecclesiastical or via Twitter www.ecclesiastical.com/churchcomp @churchmatters Roof alarms Is the price of lead Based on our claims experience, Ecclesiastical believes roof alarms fuelling theft from provide the best deterrent to metal thieves. Alarms are highly effective at deterring metal theft and perfect for church roofs? buildings in remote or rural locations – if the security system is activated, a planned response based on your The price of scrap lead has reached record highs in the last year specific instructions is carried out. or so with prices continuing to increase. Andrew Mulholland, Ecclesiastical maintains a list of approved Crime Reduction Consultant at SmartWater Technology Ltd suppliers who meet our security updates us on the outlook for this destructive crime now. requirements – call 0345 777 3322 for more information.

The theft of lead from a church roof is a Roofs’ campaign. Although the price of scrap particularly damaging crime. Not only does it lead remained high in the years that followed, cause a severe financial loss, it can also result in the number of churches falling victim water damage to the church and to contents, decreased. In fact, by 2015, the number of some of which can be irreplaceable. Even if your reported crimes was around a tenth of what it church hasn’t been subject to lead theft, you are was five years earlier. likely to know one that has. So what is fuelling However, since then the national task force has these attacks and what can be done about it? been disbanded, police numbers have reduced The vast majority of metal thefts relate to lead and priorities have moved away from metal Forensic marking and this is not surprising given the rising theft. At the same time, the crimes have also demand and increasing resale value of scrap become much more organised and large scale. It is a condition of your insurance that lead. There was a clear price increase around Although the overall number of crimes has you apply SmartWater or an alternative 2010-11 and many will remember the surge of reduced, some counties have seen a significant forensic marker approved by us. You will lead thefts with around 2,500 crimes against increase in attacks. These are now much more not have metal theft cover if you do not churches reported that year alone. industrial with teams of criminals working follow this condition. Make sure you have overnight to strip lead from whole roofs. applied the solution to any external metal, A national taskforce on metal theft was put up signage in a prominent position established with dedicated police resources With new record prices for scrap lead it is likely and register with the supplier to comply assigned to address the problem. There was that criminals will become more interested in with your policy. also new legislation with the Scrap Metal it again. Given the increase in crime during Dealer Act and support provided by companies previous price peaks, it is essential that such as SmartWater with both forensic churches do not lose their focus on this marking and enforcement activities and from problem and take steps to do everything they Ecclesiastical with the ‘Hands off our Church can to prevent theft.

Here are Andrew’s top tips:

Be aware – make sure the local community is ‘on the lookout’ Take security measures – remove climbing aids such as wheelie bins Apply a forensic marking solution – reduce the attraction of handling stolen items Consider a roof alarm – the ultimate deterrent Don’t forget you can also download Ecclesiastical’s Metal Theft checklist from:

www.ecclesiastical.com/metaltheft A dayin the life of an Allchurches Trust Grants officer Allchurches Trust is the charitable owner of the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group which grants a significant proportion of its profits to the trust so that this money can be given back to society for good causes.

Last year, Allchurches Trust gave grants it’s important we let Ecclesiastical’s employees totalling more than £13 million to Anglican know of all the good causes their hard work churches and cathedrals, churches of other benefits. Paul’s most denominations, heritage and community 12.00pm I’m welcomed at Widden memorable visit? projects. Paul Playford is one of three Primary School by Special Needs Allchurches Trust Grants Officers who visit U It has to be my first ever visit as a new Co-ordinator Karen Hughes. Of Widden’s groups applying for grants. In this article, Grants Officer. It was to the Salvation 380 children, 200 are considered ‘vulnerable’ we find out more about his typical day. Army in Droitwich. Their work opened my and of those, the 10-15 with the most eyes to the challenges out there and the significant emotional needs are given special fact that the church, in all its forms, is sessions in a Nurture Room. “Allchurches having a hugely positive impact. Its Trusts’ grant has made us able to make the contribution often goes under the radar room more like a home than a classroom,” but take the church out of social care explains Karen. “With sofas, a dining table and and you’d have a huge gap. chairs, toys and furnishings, we can help these children to develop the emotional and social skills they need to succeed back in the classroom.” I’m humbled by the scale of the problems Karen and her colleagues are tackling but it’s obviously working. 3.00pm It’s now a rainy afternoon in Bristol 7.15am Drive from home in Ledbury, U at John and Charles Wesley’s New Room, U Herefordshire, to Allchurches Trust the meeting house built in 1739 which is the Gloucester office. Time for coffee and a few earliest Methodist building in the world. emails before my first visit. 9.30am A crisp winter morning’s walk U through Gloucester to St. Mary de Crypt, a medieval church with a Tudor schoolroom that stands on the main thoroughfare between Paul’s toughest the Quays and the Cathedral. These are the two most visited places in the entire county visit! and St. Mary’s plans to entice those passing I had to visit the church on Lundy Island. between them to venture in and discover not The vicar very kindly had arranged for just a beautiful church but a venue for art, me to be invited onto the bridge by the culture and community. The New Room, Bristol Captain for the two-hour crossing. When projects are over £500,000 in total, Sadly, I was horribly sea-sick. We docked and I had to ask if I could go and lie down! I make a point of visiting. It gives applicants a I’m greeted by David Worthington, the New chance to describe their vision to me in person However, once I had recovered, the Room’s Manager. As with so many of the grant stunning location and inspirational project and explain in more detail how the project will applicants I meet, David has an extraordinary fully made up for the travel experience. address local needs. depth of knowledge combined with a St. Mary de Crypt’s Project Manager Rachel passionate determination to see the project Court and her team have already formed through. Pilgrims from among the world’s 75 partnerships with local charities working with million Methodists arrive daily and David’s on a refugees, dementia sufferers and young mission to make the New Room a welcoming unemployed people, who will become users place for them with a museum and archive, of the newly equipped church. I’m impressed. conference facilities and a cafe. It’s a £4.5m The Heritage Lottery Fund is too and has project to which Allchurches Trust is proud to given them £1.36m towards their £2m goal. have contributed. 11.00am Back to the office and straight 7.30pm Just time to write up the day’s U into a presentation to people who have U visits for the next Board meeting. Today, www.allchurches.co.uk recently joined Ecclesiastical Insurance – not unusually, it’s all good news. Insurance you can believe in It’s our belief that the best insurance is about much more than just words. It’s about what we do as well as what we say. Indeed, we have a proven track record of being there for our church Home insurance customers when they need us most.

Special discounts for church workers Established by the Church of England 130 quickly and compassionately. They only deal and volunteers! years ago, we have a unique understanding with church insurance so they understand the Call: 0800 917 3345 of how to protect churches. This depth of issues that you face. Our experts can provide experience and commitment means that you with a wide range of free advice and www.ecclesiastical.com/ when the worst happens you know that you support at any time. churchworker are in safe hands. We are proud to have And when the unthinkable happens, we want been trusted to protect churches and their Remember your discount code the best outcome for you – to pay you quickly communities since 1887. DIOP10 when you call or go online. and without fuss – so that you can get on with Expertise that sets us apart running your church. We have a dedicated team of church To us, doing the right thing is simply what we do. specialists who can respond to your needs To our church customers, it’s what sets us apart.

Church Insurance Made Simple Have you looked at our new series of Made Simple guides designed to make understanding your church insurance easier? Based on feedback from customers, the guides look at the insurance aspects of legal protection, building works, church events, community outreach and more. You can read them online or download the guides at: www.ecclesiastical.com/madesimple

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Customer services Perhaps you’re worried about getting the best return on your savings or you’d like Call: 0345 777 3322 to make sure you’re investing ethically. (8am-6pm Monday to Friday except You might be thinking about taking out a mortgage, protecting your family or planning Bank Holidays) for retirement. Whatever your concerns, Email: [email protected] Ecclesiastical Financial Advisory Services can bring you independent financial advice Report a claim from a company you know and trust. Call: 0345 603 8381 Our team of independent financial advisers At any time on any day of the week offer expert advice and help with your personal finances and can find suitable solutions from [email protected] Email: across the relevant market. Like all advisers, we charge a fee for providing financial advice, and your adviser will talk Dedicated church customer website: Our advice doesn’t stop at personal finance; we you through the charges and make sure you www.ecclesiastical.com/church also help PCCs and their members review their understand them before there is any investments and find ways to improve potential Facebook: Church Matters with commitment on either part. The first meeting returns. Please note, the value of investments or conversation is at our expense. Ecclesiastical can fall as well as rise and past performance is @churchmatters not a guide to future performance. Your home Contact Ecclesiastical Financial may be repossessed if you do not keep up Advisory Services Call: 0800 107 0190 repayments on your mortgage. or email: [email protected] A new horizon – chairing Arts in the diocesan board of Mission Made in our Creator’s image, we finance have a creative nature that, when given expression, can add huge value to our lives. Some people In April 2016 I retired of Medway Council, a job I did until 2006. I believe they are not creative – after a mainly public then moved to work in central government, and perhaps because they can’t draw sector career and in the regeneration and commercial sectors. or are not interested in the arts – took up several However, we have continued to live in Medway. but this is a very limited definition. voluntary roles. I am so glad, in retirement, to have given up the Principal among resulting commute to London. Rochester Arts in Mission takes a these was taking broad perspective because we know I am married, and Rob and I have two grown-up oversight of our that there is a host of exciting ways to daughters. I enjoy singing and running, and do Diocese’s finances express our creativity. some orienteering – running with a map. – more properly There are so many inspiring and known as chairing In 2017 our Diocese aims to balance its beautiful projects already happening the Diocesan Board of Finance. This is really income and expenditure for the first time for a around the Diocese. They enable interesting as our Diocese is going through few years, and move to a longer-term strategy people to use their gifts and to learn challenging financial times. However, I am for sustainable finances. There are many new skills. They grow friendships and pleased to say that progress is being made. committed and gifted people in our Diocese, a sense of community. Often those on both staff and those involved in governance, I have lived and worshipped in the parish of the fringe of or outside the church are not least Bishop James himself, who are giving Frindsbury with Upnor and Chattenden for drawn in by the telling of God’s story generously of their time to help with this task, over 18 years and have been a Reader since through a different way. Yet, even when and I am enormously grateful to them. 2004. An accountant by profession, I arrived there is no overt sacred focus to the here in 1998 after becoming Chief Executive Judith Armitt project, God works in the gaps.

“God calls his people to follow Christ, and forms us into a royal priesthood, a holy nation, to declare the wonderful deeds of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

The ordination services are introduced with Lay Ministry those words. In our Diocese we take that call Ordained Ministry of all God’s people seriously because we can only be effective as a missional church if we all follow our vocation, both lay and ordained. There has been some streamlining of the discernment process for ordained ministry in the Diocese recently. The quarterly ‘It’s Your Calling’ days continue to be the starting point for all thinking about vocation. Prospective Ordination candidates see a Vocations Adviser and then meet the Being who we were made to be is Diocesan Director of Ordination and If you want to think about where God about expressing all that God has put Vocations, Revd Pamela Ive, or one of the might be calling or encourage somebody within us. We want to encourage this Archdeaconry Assistant DDOs. in their journey, you can start by visiting through this ministry. Through our the Vocation pages in the Ministry section website (www.rochesteraim.com) Tonbridge: on the diocesan website, where you can we are forming a network where ideas Revd Sarah Partridge & Revd Tim Hatwell download the leaflets and find out more and resources can be shared and Rochester: about Vocation Advisers. Each deanery has creative projects are showcased. a Vocations Adviser and you can speak to Revd Dr Helen Burn & Revd Andrew Avery We are also offering a consultancy them or Canon Mark Griffin (Lead VA) or for those who would like to start a Bromley and Bexley: your incumbent to take things further. creative project in their community. Revd John Musson & Revd Susan Twynam To discuss this further, book a Creative Revd Pamela Ive Quiet Day or share what your parish is In 2016 three new diocesan vocation Diocesan Director of Ordinands doing, contact Revd Mandy Carr, leaflets were produced: Revd Canon Mark Griffin Arts in Mission Co-ordinator, at Is God Calling You? Lead Vocations Adviser [email protected] station so as to prepare refreshments! I know some of you have been struggling with trying Churchwardens are key to work through some of these issues. Of course you can anticipate and plan for members of any church some of these shifts and opportunities. For us, my son (ever practical) suggested they have their own fridge in the utility room. It family... wasn’t a question of us being ‘mean’ towards Sometimes they take on the role of a ‘parent’, sometimes ‘grandparent’, each other, but actually their particular food requirements were going to be different from and sometimes I’m sure they would prefer to be ‘the child’ – not least ours. This leads me to wonder whether there in terms of having the opportunity to be irresponsible, although this are things we need to separate in church life probably doesn’t happen with too many churchwardens! simply because it makes sense. Sometimes we can worry about offending for no good reason. In any family we will have different questions, not least what their time with us The huge plus for us was seeing the places in the pecking order or in our would do to our schedule. And this is true for grandchildren grow, literally, before our eyes. responsibilities and roles. I would like to the church family when new people join the Amelie was just over three years old, and William think this is a good thing in church life as we church or you lay on a new event which brings about four months. We had to adapt in terms of gather for worship, not only on a Sunday but in different people with different demands… sleeping arrangements and learning to give way, also with the other routine events and not How will that work out? Churchwardens are and we need to be able to do that in church – least PCC meetings etc. often in the forefront of managing that shift in relationships. dare I say giving away our favourite seat or pew Last autumn my son, Ben, his wife, Gill, and on a Sunday morning or not being so bothered our two grandchildren, Amelie and William, A critical question was ‘will we need a rota to when somebody has already taken it. moved in with us because they were having use the bathroom?!’ For many churches that building work carried out on their family home. is not a question that can be put because they And talking of moving out and moving on, It was interesting as we anticipated their arrival are still struggling to get toilet facilities into Clive, the Archdeacon of Tonbridge, and because inevitably there were a number of their medieval church or the infamous kitchen his wife Jane are retiring in a few months’ time. They have been good friends to many in the Diocese and certainly to me and to Simon. We wish them well as they move into their retirement. The old adage of ‘nothing ever stays the same’ comes to mind, even if in church life that often seems to be the preferred option! Thank you, churchwardens, for all that you do and for the people you serve. As long as we remember we are part of God’s family, then we should be OK! With every blessing,

Ven Dr Paul Wright Archdeacon of Bromley and Bexley

Whilst Ecclesiastical has used reasonable endeavours to ensure that the information in this newsletter is correct at the time of publication, please note: (a) the information is not intended to constitute a definitive or complete statement of the law on any subject, (b) the information may over the course of time become incorrect or out of date; and (c) neither Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc. nor its subsidiaries can accept any responsibility or liability for action taken or losses suffered as a result of reliance placed on the information provided in this newsletter.

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